The original document is preserved in the Principal Probate
Registry at Somerset House. This transcription follows E. K.
Chambers, William Shakespeare, a Study of Facts and
Problems, vol. 2. (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1930).
170-4.

During the winter of 1616, Shakespeare summoned his lawyer
Francis Collins, who a decade earlier had drawn up the
indentures for the Stratford tithes transaction, to execute
his last will and testament. Apparently this event took
place in January, for when Collins was called upon to
revise the document some weeks later, he (or his clerk)
inadvertently wrote January instead of March, copying the
word from the earlier draft. Revisions were necessitated by
the marriage of [his daughter] Judith.... The lawyer came
on 25 March. A new first page was required, and numerous
substitutions and additions in the second and third pages,
although it is impossible to say how many changes were made
in March and how many currente calamo, in January.
Collins never got round to having a fair copy of the will
made, probably because of haste occasioned by the
seriousness of the testator's condition, though this
attorney had a way of allowing much-corrected draft wills
to stand
(Schoenbaum A Documentary Life 242-6).

Words which were lined-out in the original but which
are
still legible are indicated by [brackets]. Words which were
added
interlinearly are indicated by italic text. The word
"Item" is given
in bold text to aid reading and is not so written in
the
document.

In the name of god Amen I William Shackspeare, of Stratford
vpon Avon in the
countie of Warr gent in perfect health & memorie God be
praysed
doe make & Ordayne this my last will & testament in
manner & forme
followeing That ys to saye ffirst, I Comend my Soule into the
handes of
god my Creator, hoping & assuredlie beleeving through
thonelie merittes
of Jesus Christe my Saviour to be made partaker of lyfe
everlastinge and
my bodye to the earth whereof yt ys made. Item I Gyve and
bequeath
vnto my [sonne and] daughter Judyth One Hundred and ffyftie
poundes of
lawfull English money to be paied vnto her in manner &
forme
foloweng, That ys to saye, One Hundred Poundes in
discharge of her
marriage porcion within one yeare after my deceas, with
consideracion
after the Rate of twoe shillings in the pound for soe long
tyme as the same
shalbe vnpaied vnto her after my deceas, & the ffyftie
poundes Residwe
thereof vpon her Surrendring of, or gyving of such
sufficient
securitie as the overseers of this my will shall like of to
Surrender or
graunte, All her estate & Right that shall discend or
come vnto her after
my deceas or that shee nowe hath of in or to one
Copiehold
tenemente with thappurtenaunces lyeing and being in Stratford
vpon Avon
aforesaied in the saied countie of Warr, being parcell or
holden of the
mannour of Rowington, vnto my daughter Susanna Hall & her
heires for
ever. Item I Gyve and bequeath vnto my saied daughter Judith
One
Hundred and ffyftie Poundes more if shee or Anie issue of her
bodie by
Lyvinge att thend of three Yeares next ensueing the daie of
the date of
this my will, during which tyme my executours to paie her
consideracion
from my deceas according to the Rate aforesaied. And if she
dye within the
saied tearme without issue of her bodye then my will is &
I doe gyve
& bequeath One Hundred Poundes thereof to my Neece
Elizabeth Hall &
the ffiftie Poundes to be sett fourth by my executours during
the lief of my
sister Johane Harte & the vse & proffitt thereof
Cominge shalbe payed
to my saied Sister Jone, & after her deceas the saied
l.li.12 shall
Remaine Amongst the children of my saied Sister Equallie to
be divided
Amongst them. But if my saied daughter Judith be lyving att
thend of the
saied three Yeares or anie yssue of her bodye then my will ys
& soe I
devise & bequeath the saied Hundred & ffyftie poundes
to be sett outby my executours & overseers for the best
benefitt of her & her
issue & the stock not to be paied vnto
her soe long as she
shalbe marryed & covert Baron [by my executours and
overseers] but my
will ys that she shall have the consideracion yearelie paied
vnto her
during her lief and, after her deceas, the saied stock and
consideracion
to bee paied to her children if she have Anie & if not to
her
executours or assignes she lyving the saied terme after my
deceas.
Provided that yf suche husbond as she shall att thend of the
saied three
Years be marryed vnto, or attanie after doe sufficientlie
Assure vnto her
& thissue of her bodie landes awnswereable to the porcion
by this my will
gyven vnto her & to be adiudged soe by my executours
& overseers then
my will ys that the said cl.li.13 shalbe paied to such
husbond as shall
make such assurance to his owne vse. Item I gyve &
bequeath vnto
my saied sister Jone xx.li. and all my wearing Apparrell to
be paied &
deliuered within one yeare after my deceas, And I doe will
& devise vnto
her the house with thappurtenaunces in Stratford,
wherein she
dwelleth for her naturall lief vnder the yearlie Rent of
xij.d.
Item I gyve and bequeath vnto her three sonnes,
Welliam Harte, ---- Hart & Michaell Harte, ffyve poundes
a peece to be
payed within one Yeare after my deceas. [to be sett out for
her within one
Yeare after my deceas by my executours with thadvise and
direccions of my
overseers for her best profitt vntill her Mariage and then
the same with
the increase thereof to be paied vnto her.] Item I gyve
&
bequeath vnto [her] the saied Elizabeth Hall all my
plate,except my brod silver and gilt bole, that I now have
att the date of
this my will. Item I gyve and bequeath vnto the Poore of
Stratford
aforesaied tenn poundes, to Mr. Thomas Combe my Sword; to
Thomas Russell
Esquier ffyve poundes, & to ffrauncis Collins of the
Borough of Warr in
the countie of Warr gent thirteene poundes Sixe shillinges
&
Eight pence to be paied within one Yeare after my deceas.
Item I
gyve & bequeath to [Mr. Richard Tyler thelder]
Hamlett Sadler
xxvj.8. viij.d. to buy him A Ringe; to William Raynoldes
gent., xxvj.8.
viij.d. to buy him a ringe; to my gogson William Walker
xx8. in gold,
to Anthonye Nashe gent xxvj.8. viij.d. [in gold,] &
to my ffellowes
John Hemynge Richard Brubage & Henry Cundell, xxvj.8.
viij.d. a peece
to buy them Ringes,Item I Gyve Will Bequeath &
Devise,
vnto my daughter Susanna Hall, for better enabling of her
to performe
this my will & towardes the performans thereof All
that capitall
Messuage or tenemente with thappurtenaunces in Stratford
aforesaid
Called the newe place wherein I nowe dwell & twoe
messuages or tenementes
with thappurtenaunces scituat lyeing & being in Henley
streete within
the borough of Stratford aforesaied, And all my barnes
stables orchardes
gardens landes tenementes & hereditamentes whatsoever
scituat
lyeing & being or to be had Receyved perceyved or taken
within the
townes Hamletes villages ffieldes & groundes of Stratford
upon Avon
Oldstratford Bushopton and Welcombe or in anie of them in the
saied
countie of Warr, And alsoe All that Messuage or tenemente
with
thappurtenaunces wherein one John Robinson dwelleth scituat
lyeing and
being in the balckfriers in London nere the Wardrobe, &
all other my
landes tenementes and hereditamentes whatsoever; To Have and
to hold All
& singuler the saied premisses with their Appurtenaunces
vnto the
saied Susanna Hall for & during the terme of her naturall
lief, &
after her Deceas to the first Sonne of her bodie lawfullie
yssueing &
to the heires males of the bodie of the saied first sonne
lawfullie
yssueinge, & for defalt of such issue to the second Sonne
of her bodie
lawfullie issueing and so to the heires Males of the bodie of
the saied
Second Sonne lawfullie yssueinge, & for defalt of such
heires to the
third sonne of the bodie of the saied Susanna Lawfullie
yssueing and of
the heires Males of the bodie of the saied third sonne
lawfullie yssueing,
And for defalt of such issue the same soe to be and remaine
to the ffourth
[sonne] ffyfth sixte & seaventh sonnes of her bodie
lawfullie
issueing one after Another & to the heires
Willm Shakespere

[Page break on original manuscript]

Males of the bodies of the
bodies of the saied fourth fifth Sixte & Seaventh sonnes
lawfullie
yssueing, in such manner as yt ys before Lymitted to be &
Remaine to the
first second and third Sonns of her bodie & to their
heires Males;
And for defalt of such issue the said premisses to be &
Remaine to my
sayed Neece Hall & the heires males of her bodie
Lawfullie yssueinge,
and for defalt of such issue to my daughter Judith and the
heires Males
of her bodie lawfullie yssueinge, and for defalt of such
issue to the
Right heires of me the saied William Shackspare for ever.
Item
I gyve vnto my wief my second best bed with the
furniture, Item
I gyve & bequeath to my saied daughter Judith my broad
silver gilt bole.
All the Rest of my goodes chattels leases plate jewels &
household
stuffe whatsoever, after my dettes and Legasies paied and my
funerall
expences dischardged, I give devise and bequeath to my Sonne
in Lawe,
John Hall gent & my daughter Susanna his wief whom I
ordaine & make
executours of this my Last will and testament. And I doe
intreat &
Appoint the saied Thomas Russell Esquier &
ffrauncis Collins gent
to be overseers hereof. And doe Revoke All former wills &
publishe this
to be my last will and testament. In witnesse whereof I have
hereunto put my
[seale] hand, the daie & Yeare first above
Written. witnes to the publyshing by me William
Shakeseare
hereof. Fra: Collyns
Julyus Shawe
John Robinson
Hamnet Sadler
Rovert Whattcott